Signed by President Bill Clinton

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that requires a five day waiting period before the purchase of a handgun so that a background check on the purchaser can be performed.

Highlights:

• States that it is illegal to sell or transfer a gun to an individual who does not have a permit without completing a background check or five business days elapsing.

• Directs the Attorney General to establish a national instant criminal background check system within five years of enactment.

• Requires the purchaser of a firearm to provide a statement that he or she is not under indictment or convicted of a crime, a fugitive from justice, addicted or unlawful user of a controlled substance, "mentally defective" or been committed to a mental institution, dishonorably discharged from the Armed Services, an undocumented individual or renounced American citizenship to the local chief law enforcement officer.

• Authorizes the sale of a handgun if the life of purchaser or his or her families' life is in danger, as certified by the chief law enforcement officer in the area where the purchaser lives.

• Exempts gun transfers from these requirements when the background checks are impractical due to the number of law enforcement officers, the lack of telecommunications facilities or the remoteness of a business.

• Authorizes $100 million in grants per year to improve and upgrade criminal records.

• Prohibits the transferor of the handgun from disclosing any private information he or she receives through the background check to anyone besides the transferee.

• Requires law enforcement officers to destroy background check information on an individual within 20 business days.

• Stipulates that no local government or federal employee can be liable for failure to prevent the transfer of a firearm to an individual who is not lawfully allowed to receive a firearm or for preventing the transfer of a firearm to an individual who can lawfully receive a firearm.

• Allows an individual who is wrongly denied a firearm to take action in order to correct the false information and get the transfer of the firearm approved.

• Sets penalties for violating the background check requirements of up to a $1,000 fine, up to one year imprisonment or both.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires a five day waiting period before the purchase of a handgun for four years to allow completion of a background check of the purchaser.

Highlights:

• States that it is illegal to sell or transfer a gun to an individual who does not have a permit without completing a background check or five business days elapsing.

• Directs the Attorney General to establish a national instant criminal background check system within five years of enactment.

• Requires the purchaser of a firearm to provide a statement that he or she is not under indictment or convicted of a crime, a fugitive from justice, addicted or unlawful user of a controlled substance, "mentally defective" or been committed to a mental institution, dishonorably discharged from the Armed Services, an undocumented individual or renounced American citizenship to the local chief law enforcement officer.

• Authorizes the sale of a handgun if the life of purchaser or his or her families' life is in danger, as certified by the chief law enforcement officer in the area where the purchaser lives.

• Exempts gun transfers from these requirements when the background checks are impractical due to the number of law enforcement officers, the lack of telecommunications facilities or the remoteness of a business.

• Authorizes $100 million in grants per year to improve and upgrade criminal records.

• Prohibits the transferor of the handgun from disclosing any private information he or she receives through the background check to anyone besides the transferee.

• Requires law enforcement officers to destroy background check information on an individual within 20 business days.

• Stipulates that no local government or federal employee can be liable for failure to prevent the transfer of a firearm to an individual who is not lawfully allowed to receive a firearm or for preventing the transfer of a firearm to an individual who can lawfully receive a firearm.

• Allows an individual who is wrongly denied a firearm to take action in order to correct the false information and get the transfer of the firearm approved.

• Sets penalties for violating the background check requirements of up to a $1,000 fine, up to one year imprisonment or both.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires a five-day waiting period before the purchase of a handgun or until a criminal background check on the purchaser is completed, whichever is earlier.

Highlights:

• States that it is illegal to sell or transfer a gun to an individual who does not have a permit without completing a background check or five business days elapsing.

• Directs the Attorney General to establish a national instant criminal background check system within five years of enactment.

• Requires the purchaser of a firearm to provide a statement that he or she is not under indictment or convicted of a crime, a fugitive from justice, addicted or unlawful user of a controlled substance, "mentally defective" or been committed to a mental institution, dishonorably discharged from the Armed Services, an undocumented individual or renounced American citizenship to the local chief law enforcement officer.

• Authorizes the sale of a handgun if the life of purchaser or his or her families' life is in danger, as certified by the chief law enforcement officer in the area where the purchaser lives.

• Exempts gun transfers from these requirements when the background checks are impractical due to the number of law enforcement officers, the lack of telecommunications facilities or the remoteness of a business.

• Authorizes $100 million in grants per year to improve and upgrade criminal records.

• Prohibits the transferor of the handgun from disclosing any private information he or she receives through the background check to anyone besides the transferee.

• Requires law enforcement officers to destroy background check information on an individual within 20 business days.

• Stipulates that no local government or federal employee can be liable for failure to prevent the transfer of a firearm to an individual who is not lawfully allowed to receive a firearm or for preventing the transfer of a firearm to an individual who can lawfully receive a firearm.

• Allows an individual who is wrongly denied a firearm to take action in order to correct the false information and get the transfer of the firearm approved.

• Sets penalties for violating the background check requirements of up to a $1,000 fine, up to one year imprisonment or both.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text